MUSICIANS AND DANCERS. 105 
About four o’clock in the afternoon, another 
party of musicians and dancers, followed by mul¬ 
titudes of people, took their station nearly on the 
spot occupied yesterday by those from Kaii. The 
musicians, seven in number, seated themselves on 
the sand ; a curiously carved drum, made by hol¬ 
lowing out a solid piece of wood, and covering the 
top with shark’s skin, was placed before each, 
which they beat with the palm or fingers of their 
right hand. A neat little drum, made of the 
shell of a large cocoa-nut, was also fixed on the 
knee, by the side of the large drum, and beat with 
a small stick held in the left hand. When the 
musicians had arranged themselves in a line, across 
the beach, and a bustling man, who appeared to 
be master of the ceremonies, had, with a large 
branch of a cocoa-nut tree, cleared a circle of con¬ 
siderable extent, two interesting little children, 
(a boy and a girl,) apparently about nine years of 
age, came forward, habited in the dancing costume 
of the country, with garlands of flowers on their 
heads, wreaths around their necks, bracelets on their 
wrists, and buskins on their ankles. When they had 
reached the centre of the ring, they commenced 
their dance to the music of the drums ; cantilating, 
alternately with the musicians, a song in honour of 
some ancient chief of Hawaii. 
The governor of the island was present, accom¬ 
panied, as it is customary for every chieftain of 
distinction to be on public occasions, by a retinue 
of favourite chiefs and attendants. Having almost 
entirely laid aside the native costume, and adopted 
that of the foreigners who visit the islands, he ap¬ 
peared on this occasion in a light European dress, 
and sat on a Canton-made arm-chair, opposite the 
dancers, during the whole exhibition. A servant. 
